HAYDEN MAGNUM as Jamie, Courtney Hays as Cathy (Ron Lyon photo).

By Thom deMartino
Orange County Tribune

Sometimes, love just isn’t enough.

For a limited engagement, the Gem Theater in Garden Grove is presenting one of their special, intimate Black Box productions: the beautiful and heart-wrenching “The Last Five Years”.

With book, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and directed by Damien Lorton, the story centers around the relationship between Cathy (Courtney Hays), an aspiring actress in New York, and Jamie (Hayden Magnum), whose writing is beginning a skyrocketing career in the Big Apple’s literary circles.

However, the, the pair are in different places as the show begins … not only in space, but in time as well. Cathy is tearfully clutching the divorce petition and his discarded wedding ring at the end of the relationship, while Jamie is fresh-faced with his first success as a writer, and thinking of asking her out at the very beginning.

As the story progresses, Cathy’s history unfolds in reverse, while Jamie’s continues moving forward in time. It’s a striking juxtaposition between the two, as one might be suffering in their timeline, while the other may be euphoric with the events in their own.

The pair never interact over the course of the tale, save for one brief, shining moment when the timelines converge twixt their engagement and wedding… but as the viewer knows how it ends, one still finds oneself rapt with attention with each triumph, each stumble that leads to the relationship’s inevitable end… and its beginning.

Love may not always conquer all – but while the regret and nostalgia may linger, the perspective gained allows a deeper appreciation of having loved and lost.

Seeing this beautifully illustrated time capsule of a relationship in its entirety makes the journey all the more riveting.

This pair of accomplished Gem Theater mainstays give commanding performances in their respective roles: it is perhaps a little ironic the lovely chemistry the pair have, considering the minuscule amount of time each spends actually engaging with the other onstage.

Their paths – travelling backwards from despair to elation, forwards from joy to disillusionment – both are compelling threads on their own, becoming that much more beautifully tragic when interwoven.
Hays displays a searing vulnerability as Cathy, beginning with her anguished confusion at the divorce papers; as the audience witnesses the backwards momentum of her struggle to follow her dreams, yet still fail; to her delighted excitement of seeing her new beau – it’s an astonishing trajectory. Moving emotional pieces such as “Still Hurting” and “See I’m Smiling” give way to the more joyous “I Can Do Better Than That” and “Goodbye Until Tomorrow” as the viewer is privy to a kind of empowerment-in-reverse.

Her musical numbers begin heavy, full of sadness; but by the end, light and full of hope for the future. Hays deftly navigates these emotional swells with ease, and her

duet with Magnum – “The Next Ten Minutes” as their paths cross at their marriage – is sublime.
Jamie proves to be a complex and challenging role as well, with Magnum more than a match for it. There’s a kind of arrogance/confidence in his portrayal as he navigates the New York literary scene, but one wonders whether that is a boon in his position – or if his hubris is actually a fatal flaw.
It is up to the viewer to decide who’s more responsible for the demise of the relationship, and Magnum’s layered performance herein is powerful. Numbers like the euphoric “Shiksa Goddess” to the melancholic “I Could Never Rescue You”, give a moving arc to his character.

And for as responsible as he might be for his part in the breakdown, it’s hard not to feel sympathy for him as he’s haggard and beginning to lose control, desperately screaming “PLEASE!!”

A mesmerizing look at the life and death of a relationship from a panoramic perspective, “The Last Five Years” is visceral, gripping storytelling that will keep you on
the edge of your seat… regardless of the angle you’re seeing it from.

“The Last Five Years”: Courtney Hays and Hayden Magnum star in this warped-time tale encompassing the scope of a New York couple’s relationship. Playing through April 26 at The Gem Theater 12852 Main Street, Garden Grove, CA, 92840. Call 714-741-9550 x221 or email boxoffice@onemoreproductions.com for ticketing information. Some mature language and topics.